High Times in Wisconsin – Democrats Running for Governor Support Taxing Weed to Fund Broadband Projects

High Times: You’ve heard of the BEAD program, naturally. In Wisconsin, some ambitious Democrats are high on something Policyband has decided to call the WEED program – an effort to legalize and then tax marijuana to fund state broadband deployment projects. With a year until Wisconsin elects a new governor, several Democratic contenders have backed a marijuana legalization law, framing cannabis tax revenue as a way to expand broadband in the Badger State, according to a report Friday by a website called Marijuana Moment and another in the Wisconsin Examiner. Republicans control both chambers in the state legislature in Madison and have resisted ramping up broadband spending ahead of the arrival of federal BEAD dollars.

At a candidate forum Thursday, Rep. Francesca Hong (D) opened the debate over funding rural Internet with a blunt prescription: “Legalize weed.” She added, “The revenue that comes in will be able to invest in fiber optic and high-speed Internet in many different companies across the state.” Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez (D) added, “I don’t disagree,” noting Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) frequently jokes that Wisconsin’s weed prohibition boosts his state’s coffers. Pritzker “thanks us all the time for the amount of Wisconsin tax dollars that go into, actually, Illinois and now Michigan and Minnesota,” she said.

In 2024, sales taxes collected at Illinois cannabis dispensaries totaled more than $490 million in 2024, according to a report from the Illinois Department of Revenue. Under new BEAD rules issued by the Commerce Department in June, Wisconsin has sought $691.9 million to connect the state’s remaining unserved and underserved locations. (More after paywall.)